From the outside Roy Buchan's mobile law office looks like a truck. Which it is. Call it the three-quarter-tonne-GMC-van-approach to bringing law to the people. The Osgoode Hall Law School grad ('91) is not only a litigator, but also a bona fide diesel mechanic, as well as being an expert in traffic accidents and the law.

    From his van Buchan can serve clients roadside. Which is where they need it. He's got everything at hand: law books, a horseshoe-shaped couch, two tables, a television, VCR, cell phone, and a portable computer.

    The idea for a rolling law office came to Buchan after a few years in the "glass and marble" world of traditional law practice. "I found it pretentious. It wasn't me," he says. After a stint with the Crown Attorney's office in Brampton, Ont., his contract wasn't renewed which is when Buchan decided to strike out on his own.

    Given his experience as a mechanic and two years' worth of traffic court expertise, a specialization in car cases seemed natural, says Buchan.

    Now, not only can he drive his clients to or from the scene of the accident, but he always has his office with him. "For some of my clients it's not convenient for them to leave their homes. I can just meet them in their driveway."

    Buchan's overhead is minimal. Says Buchan: "A lot of lawyers think that they need an office with glass walls, a big library and a receptionist. A receptionist costs $30,000 a year. I bet you could much more easily afford my pager."